Book One: The Mischievous Edition
by FAnimator661
Summary: A retelling of Book One: Air with my OC. Itazura is a street rat with some special skills and a knack for getting into trouble. When she meets Avatar Korra, though, her entire world is turned upside down. And it might just cause seven years of lies to come crumbling down. May or may not have pairings.
1. Welcome to Republic City!

**I'm back, baby! Can you dig it?**

**Just kidding. And what's this? A story without shipping. Yes, actually. The only ship I'm jumping onto right now is the S.S. Korra x Mako because they're such an OTP. It may also have something to do with the fact I think Asami's a spy, but that's beside the point. **

**Anyways, the plot of this story will be following along with the plot of season one with an Original Character of my own design. If you don't like people putting OCs into a series, then this story is not right for you. Please ignore where it says **_Break in story._ **It seemed whenever I tried to use my usual lines to show a break in the story, just deleted them and made the story confusing. If anyone wants to tell me a better way to do this, I'd appreciate it.**

**Enjoi.**

_Break in story_

Things had become intense fast. She never lost a card game. Ever. Let alone to some smug, pig-nosed brat. He had to be cheating. There was no other explanation. She stared futilely at her hands, making not effort to hide her displeasure and utter disgust for the completely _useless_ hand she'd been dealt. Of all the times to get a crappy hand, it had to be on the one round she'd made a bet on.

"I believe it's to you," The boy said, his greasy black hair flopping over his forehead and towards his equally black eyes. He probably hadn't thought about showering, let alone actually had one. A fine layer of dirt covered his skin and caked his fingernails. A confident smirk showed his yellowed teeth. "So, what's your move?"

"Well," She licked her lips, blue eyes flickering between her opponent and hand. She ran her free hand through her wavy, blonde hair with a hidden sigh. "As much as I'd hate to admit it, I'm not a liar. I have nothing. I . . ." Her face contorted, as if she was having a hard time forming the words. "I . . . fold." She finally breathed, laying her hand face down on the table.

Cheers and applause erupted from around the dimly lit room as other teens in a similar state as the black-haired boy simultaneously jumped. Her opponent slammed his cards on the table, leaping onto the tabletop and screaming with the others. The blonde shoved her useless cards away, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. The only calm one in the entire room, a mischievous smirk graced her lips as the cajoling ceased and an expected silence fell over the entire room.

"Finally remember me, I see," The blonde sighed, standing. Though the vagabonds in the room were all in decent height, she towered over them. "Well, you won. What's your dare?" She glanced sideways at the black-haired boy.

"My, my, Itazura," The boy snickered. "Calm, cool, and collected as always. I'm sure that'll change once you hear this," He reared back, as if the sheer force of what he was about to say would blow everybody away. "I dare you to streak through the upper district in your underwear!"

The jubilant cheers echoed through the room again. Teens howled into the ceiling and jumped repeatedly. Others insulted Itazura as she stood completely still, blinking twice at the boy's request. He flashed a disgusting smile, almost convinced she wouldn't do it. Huffing, Itazura pulled her over shirt over her head as she kicked the door to the shack open, the walls creaking as the whole shack threatened to implode. The teens flowed out the door in a frenzy, clamoring atop each other to get a glimpse as Itazura kicked off her shoes, the last in a pile of clothes that now sat at her feet. Clad in nothing but her skin tight boxers and medical bandage tied around her chest, she pointed down the alleyway, her face unsure.

"You want me to go there?" Itazura said, her hands moving awkwardly, trying with little success to cover some of her exposed, sun kissed skin. "You're nuts."

"No, I'm the winner of the bet," The boy said. "What's wrong, Zura?" He smirked. "Ya scared?"

"Oh, please," Zura laughed, a mischievous smile suddenly claiming her lips. "You're the ones who should be scared."

The teens all fell silent and watched. At first, a flicker caught their eye. It traveled from Zura's shoulder, down her torso, and ended at her knee. Then, another started at her elbow and sparked to the tips of her fingers. All at once, flames completely engulfed Zura's form, a swirling inferno replacing her skin in the blink of an eye. The teens screamed in unison. A mass exodus spurted from the alley and into the streets. Car horns honked loudly and brakes screeched as people tried to avoid hitting the teens who fled the humanoid embodiment of flame.

"The demon is in there!" A scream came from a teen.

Water covered the flaming humanoid, sending a column of steam up into the air. Zura stumbled backwards, surprised at the sudden onslaught of water. Subsequent buckets followed, despite the fact that the blonde teen was sufficiently put out. She shook her head back and forth, her tousled hair sticking to her forehead despite her best efforts. She blinked her blue eyes accusingly at the elder woman in front of her, who shook her gray head disapprovingly. A crowd of people now gathered at the mouth of the alley. The familiar, unrecognizable faces of the city folk. Except for a girl who stood at the front. Her dark skin marked her as a native of one of the Water Tribes. Zura turned her attention to the elder standing before her.

"Police Chief Lin!" Zura waved excitedly. "How very unexpected!"

"Oh, my," Lin shook her head and rubbed her brow. "A half-naked Itazura causing trouble. How out of the ordinary."

"That sounds like sarcasm, Chief," Zura narrowed her eyes dangerously and smirked. "Taking me in, I assume? Is it on indecent exposure or making the other children say I was a demon?"

"Both."

"Fair enough," Zura shrugged and gathered her clothes in her arms. She jumped into her pants and stuffed her feet into her shoes. She jammed her undershirt over her head and was putting on her over shirt as the police led her out of the alley. "How long will it be this time? Will I break my record?"

"We're dealing with a lot more pressing matters now, Itazura," Lin sighed as Itazura was forced into a squad car. "Maybe for the night."

"Yay," Zura chuckled. "A whole night! We haven't done this in forever, Chief. When was—," The door was slammed in Zura's face before she could finish her question.

_Break in story_

"Itazura, I really do not have time for this," Lin sighed and pushed the blonde out of the police station. "It's a minor citation. Just go home and try to stay out of trouble."

"I'm sorry, who are you talking to?" The blonde asked, cupping her hand around her ear.

"Itazura," Lin growled, slamming the door shut.

Itazura shrugged and walked down the street. She wasn't going home anytime soon. She'd missed Pro-Bending practice that morning, and her teammates were sure to have it in for her if she showed up now. Her azure eyes wandered skyward as she shoved her hands into her pockets. Her roommate had brought her a set of clothes, which consisted of a three-quarter sleeve black undershirt, gray and red industrial jacket, baggy black pants, and knee high boots. Around her waist was a red sash and a blue bandana was tied around her wrist. She also wore a pair of black, fingerless gloves. After a few minutes of wandering around the city, she arrived at the park. She strolled by the fountain, gritting her teeth as she tried to ignore the lies being spewed by an Equalist propagandist.

The smell of cooking fish wafted into her nostrils. _Odd_, she thought, following the smell to its source. _The police have never allowed fishing in the park before_. She stepped onto the emerald green grass, still wet with dew, and approached the girl sitting by the river. Skewered fish cooked to perfection were lying before her. A few feet away, a giant white beast watched Itazura's every move with black eyes. It had the head of a dog, floppy ears reaching to its gigantic neck that connected to the body of a polar bear with the hind legs of a dog. The girl was talking to a vagrant and both were happily munching on cooked fish. Itazura recognized the man immediately.

"Ollie!" Itazura called, attracting attention from both eaters. "What are you doing?"

"Aha!" The vagabond jumped up and rushed over to Itazura, pushing her towards the stranger. "This is probably one of the most famous street rats you'll ever meet!"

"Aw, you're making me blush."

"Hey," The girl said. "I know you." She stood, examining Itazura closer. "You were the one I saw the police arrest earlier today! How did you—?"

"The Chief and I have an . . . understanding," The blonde worded carefully. "But you must be fresh off the boat. You know this is a no fish zone, right?" The girl's blue eyes widened at the statement. "I know, shocking. But it's true." A whistle began to blow behind them. Itazura turned and saw a rather rotund police officer ambling toward them. "We better get out of here."

"Naga!" The girl called, and the polar bear-dog sprung into action. She rushed to the girl's call and crouched so the girl and Itazura could climb into the saddle upon her back. Taking the reins, the girl spurred the beast into a gallop and took off through the park. The officer soon gave up on chasing them, but the polar-bear dog kept running, dodging cars and weaving around corners until she finally slowed to a trot.

Shops lined the street they were on, and something about seemed oddly familiar to Itazura. At the same time, her gut told her that she should not be there, but she couldn't remember why. Naga suddenly stopped and the girl slid off the saddle. Itazura followed, taking the moment to examine the creature more closely. Naga sniffed the blonde bender suspiciously before running her tongue along the side of Itazura's face. The bender smiled and laughed, but her face when she heard the distinct screeching of brakes on a hot rod. She laid a hand on Naga's head, listening to the sound of doors slamming shut and three pairs of feet.

"Mr. Chung," A smooth-talking voice said confidently. Its owner was a man wearing a pale purple jacket and hate. "Please tell me you have my money or I can't guarantee that I can protect your establishment."

_Triades_, Itazura thought bitterly. _That's why I don't come down this street._

"I-I'm sorry," The old man wearing a green hat stuttered. "Business has been . . . slow. Please, take one of my phonographs!" He held up a pristine, red phonograph as offering.

"Well, my friend here," The smooth-talking man said as a pale, lanky man beside him raised his leg and kicked the phonograph out of the shopkeeper's hands. His foot was engulfed in flames, burning the wooden shamble on the ground. "Isn't a music lover. Now, give me the money or else—,"

"Leave him alone," Itazura spoke up, stepping out from behind Naga and shouldering her way between the trio and the shopkeeper. "and get out of here, Triades."

"Well, well, look what we got here boys," The man with the hat sneered. "A self-righteous street rat! And what are you going to do about it?"

"You know damn well what I'll do about it," The blonde bender said in a threatening tone, flames crackling around her hands. "Now just go."

"You must not be that good at math," The man shook his head. "There are three of us and only one of you. You may be talented, but you're not that talented."

"And you must be bad at math, too," The girl said, standing behind the trio with her hands on her hips. "Because it's two on three, actually."

"Now, I can't excuse your friend here," The man said, motioning to Itazura. "But I can tell you're new around this city, but this is Triple Threat Triade territory. And we're about to put you both in the hospital."

"You're the only who's going to be needing a hospital," The girl smirked, cracking her knuckles. "And for your sake, I hope there's one nearby."

"And just who do you think you are?"

"Why don't you come over here and find out?"

The man reached into his trench coat decisively, his eyes looking at the girl suspiciously. He threw his hand out, a trail of water following his movements. His Firebender friend turned, throwing flaming punches at Itazura. The blonde bender effortlessly avoided them and landed two smoldering kicks that sent the Triade Firebender into the window of a shop across the street. When Itazura turned back to her friend, she saw the man in the trench coat with his entire head frozen in a block of ice. The Earthbender attacked next, but the blue-eyed girl merely stomped her foot and sent him flying into the air. He crashed into the numerous signs and awnings of the shops before finally hitting the dirt with a thud. The girl clapped her hands clean.

_She just did Earthbending_, Itazura thought. _But, she had to Waterbend to get that guy's head in a block of ice._ The girl noticed Itazura, and numerous shopkeepers, staring at her and held up both hands.

"I'll explain later," She said, just barely dodging the speeding hotrod that the three Triades were escaping in. "But we can't let those guys get away."

With a slight hop forward, the girl continued the motion through with her arms, sending a wave of earth after the speeding car. The hotrod's wheels left the ground as the Triades lost control and crashed into another store front. Itazura and the girl hurried over, where the steaming hotrod lay on its side and the Triades were spilt all over the floor. Naga came up behind them, picking her ears up as a loud siren began to ring. A sound Itazura was all too familiar with.

_Sorry about that, Lin, _She thought as she looked up and saw the giant ship descending upon them. Innumerable amounts of propellers spun and kept the airship afloat despite being made completely of metal. _Guess I will be seeing you again today_.

A squad of officers jumped out of the ship, their metal cords attaching to the buildings below and swinging onto the street below. The squad approached the wreckage just as the three Tirades stumbled out, covered in soot and bruises. The officers quickly lassoed them with metal cords and pulled them into a police car. Just as she thought they were going to get away, two officers approached Itazura and the girl.

"You're both under arrest," He said, looking from the girl to Itazura. He glared at the blonde. "Weren't you just in the precinct?"

"Maaaaaybe."

"Why are you arresting us?" The girl asked angrily. "Those guys were going to destroy a shop!"

"Yes, well," The man looked around the street, seeing three broken store fronts and the Tirades still running car lying on its side inside another shop. "It looks like you did a lot more damage than that."

"Now, officer," Itazura said smoothly, both hands raised and showing she meant no harm. "Let's not be hasty here. This is a simple misunderstanding."

"You two destroyed numerous shops," The officer said sternly, glaring at the blonde again. "There is nothing to misunderstand." He turned to his fellow officers. "Officers, arrest these two."

"Naga!" The girl shouted. Her polar bear-dog was there instantly. Ducking its massive head, Itazura and the girl slid into the saddle on its back and took off galloping down the street.

"Running from the cops," Itazura murmured. "I sure am going to be in deep with Lin."

Naga sprinted through the alleys and eventually popped out onto a busy street. Cars beeped their horns and swerved to avoid hitting the giant creature, colliding with others cars instead. The girl, with confused horror on her face, spurred Naga again. The creature took off running and leapt onto a nearby roof. Climbing higher and higher, Itazura realized the police airship was quickly gaining on them, as well as a few dexterous officers. Looking forward, Itazura realized the roofs were quickly running out, but the girl hadn't tried to move away. Instead, she was looking at the island located in the bay a few hundred yards away from the city.

"Huh," Itazura said, looking around with an unimpressed gaze. "So this is where I die."

Naga leapt off the last roof, trying with all her might to push forward enough to at least hit an awning on their way down. They descended quickly, but then jolted to a halt in midair. Metal cords wrapped around the polar bear-dog's stomach, back legs, and front paws. Looking up, Itazura could see the cords originating from the police airship that had been gaining on them a few moments earlier.

"This is exciting," Itazura smiled. "I've never been arrested twice in one hour. I think it's a new personal best." She held her hand out to the Water Tribe girl. "I'm Itazura, by the way."

"Mischief," The girl translated with a smirk. "Sounds like it fits."

"You don't even know the half of it," The blonde shook her head.

"Korra," The girl introduced and took Itazura's hand. "Avatar Korra."

"The Avatar?" Itazura's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Like, _the_ Avatar?" Korra nodded, relishing in the look on the blonde's face. "Well, I got arrested with the Avatar. That'll make an interesting story."

_Break in story_

Dim lights daunted Itazura's vision for the second time that day. Lin sat across from the blonde and Korra, looking between them angrily. A piece of paper sat in front of the Chief, but she ignored it. An angry curl on her lip kept Itazura's usually witty remarks unsaid. She'd known Lin long enough to know when she was angry. And boy, was Lin _angry._ Finally, the Chief dropped her gaze and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Itazura," She began wearily. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you for the _second_ time this hour?"

"I'm going to begin by say I told you so," Itazura began. Lin immediately went back to glaring. The blonde grinned sheepishly. "And I will start off my multi-parted apology with how much I appreciate and—,"

"Stop," Lin held up her hand. "Just . . . stop." She sighed and shook her head, muttering something under her breath about how unrealistic it was to expect a serious answer. She looked at Korra. "You are in a lot of trouble, young lady."

"This all part of a very long, confusing story that I am sure we will all laugh about one day in the future," Korra chuckled nervously, looking at Itazura for support. "Right?"

"I'm laughing about it now." Itazura smiled.

"Chief Beifong," An officer's voice said in an official tone. A metal plate that covered the walls of the interrogation room slid open. "Councilman Tenzin has arrived."

"Of course he has," Lin muttered. "Send him in."

"Wait a second," Korra said. "Beifong?"

"Yes." Lin nodded tiredly.

"As in Toph Beifong?"

"Yes."

"Are you related in some way?"

"I'm her daughter," Lin said. "But I don't see what—,"

"I'm the Avatar!" Korra nearly stood up from her seat. The metal legs of the chair scrapped along the stone floor. "Your mother and Aang fought together in the Hundred Year's war!"

"This could be found in any history textbook, really," Itazura said. "What exactly does that have to do with—,"

"Itazura's right," Lin admitted grudgingly. "So what?"

"Well . . ." Korra fumbled. "Doesn't that mean we're . . . friends or something?"

"Ha, friends," Itazura laughed. "Nope, Lin's just got me."

"And how very fortunate I am," Lin growled as the door to the interrogation room swung open.

Everybody's heads swiveled towards the new light that streamed into the room. Standing in the door way was a tall man with a bald head and pointy, brown beard on his chin. He wore flowing, yellow and red robes and had blue arrowhead tattoos all over his body. He looked at the three inside with gray eyes. Itazura recognized him from the radio broadcasts and newspapers as Tenzin, the child of Avatar Aang and one of the last Airbenders in the world.

"Korra," He said immediately. The Avatar stood, but she didn't dare to approach him. The look on the Councilman's face was a mixture of anger and concern. "Are you alright?"

"She's fine," Lin stood with a disapproving look on her face. "Destroying shops and terrorizing the city, but fine."

"I'm sorry, Tenzin," Korra said, looking at the ground. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. I just wanted to—,"

"I understand, Korra," Tenzin said. "But you should have listened to me." He looked at Lin with a conflicted expression. "I would really appreciate if you would drop the charges against the Avatar. I'll pay for the damages myself." The Chief remained silent, a stony expression on her face. Tenzin sighed. "Please? For me?"

"Alright," Lin agreed angrily.

"Thank you, Lin," Tenzin nodded. He looked at the Avatar. "Come along, Korra."

"Right," She nodded and followed him out the door. Lin sighed and sat in her chair, her fingers knitting together on the tabletop. She looked at Itazura, green eyes still angry and somewhat relieved.

"So," The blonde bender smiled. "When's my Councilman going to bail me out?"

"In your dreams," Lin shook her head. "No, instead we're releasing you into the custody of your friends."

"But what about the charges?"

"The shopkeepers have agreed not to press any," Lin said, eyeing the piece of paper in front of her. "They're very grateful for you and Korra beating those Triades."

"Chief Beifong," The same officer interrupted them again. "Itazura's friends have arrived to pick her up."

"Send them in," Lin said tiredly. The room fell silent, and Itazura's azure eyes constantly looked around as she waited for something to happen.

"Sooo," Itazura began. "Are you coming to see my next match?"

"No."

"Ooooof course not."

"Itazura?" A voice said as the door opened again. The boy who had spoken was tall, the same height as Itazura. He had black hair that was pushed up in the front and the dark, golden eyes of a Firebender. He wore a dark gray industrial jacket with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a tattered, red scarf wrapped around his neck. The boy standing behind him was slightly shorter, but obviously more muscular. The boy had wavy, dark hair and bright green eyes. He wore a green and yellow jacket and brown pants. A green belt with a knot tied off to the side was around his waist.

"Ita?" The green-eyed boy said.

"Hey, guys!" Itazura stood.

"Hello, gentlemen," Lin said, standing as well.

"Ah!" Both boys jumped and stood up straighter. They bowed simultaneously. "Good evening, Chief Beifong."

"Relax, guys, she's the Chief of Police. Not a cult leader."

"She's the Chief of Police who got you out of trouble . . . _again_," The golden-eyed boy said, standing erect. "You know how dangerous it is to go against the Triades. We're already on their bad side. They could—,"

"I know, Mako," Itazura sighed. "I know. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Aw, he's not worried, Ita," The second boy said jokingly. "He's just scared of what will happen to us if you stop working at the factory because of . . . death."

"Bolin," Mako said dangerously. "Bro, seriously."

"Sorry," Bolin muttered. "Everybody's always hatin' on the Earthbender."

"Nobody's hating on anybody, alright?" Itazura said, standing between the boys and wrapping one of her arms around each of their shoulders. "Now, let's go before Lin has a change of heart," The blonde whispered. She looked over her shoulder with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Lin!"

"And for my sake," Lin shook her head. "I hope you're just using that as an expression."

_Break in story_

**Well, what did you think? My DVR's broken, so I can remember some of the dialogue from the episode and put it in these. I already have most of the chapters written, it's just the editing that's going to take me a little while. **

**Anyway, enough about me, tell me about **_**you.**_** Specifically, what you thought about Itazura and her position in the plot. And your thoughts about the chapter overall would be much appreciated. Feel free to ask any questions about Itazura as well. **


	2. A Leaf in the Wind

**Can you di—just kidding. I wouldn't use the same joke twice.**

**. . . Or would I?**

**Thanks for the queries and reviews of the first chapter. Hope I can keep it up!**

**Now, let Itazura's adventures continue!**

**And I am oh-so sorry for the egregious delay on this chapter. My summer became extremely busy extremely fast after I returned from my summer program. **

**Enjoi**

Itazura sprinted as fast her legs could take her, weaving through the darkened alleyways and busy streets of Republic City. A car honked and the driver leaned out of the window to scowl as she accidentally darted out into a line of traffic. The blonde didn't stop, but apologize profusely as the stone streets transformed into wood beneath her feet. At the end of the docks sat her destination. It was a castle fit for a king: four towers soared into the navy blue night sky and high walls with grand windows looked out in all directions. The entrance stood proudly at the front, ascending almost as high as the towers. The lack of an anxious crowd outside told her just how close Itazura was cutting it.

She barreled through the doors, almost knocking over one of the attendants in her haste. She apologized again and burst through the door immediately on her right. Flying down the hallway, she rounded the corner into the training room and stopped just short of running into somebody for the third time in five minutes. The blonde looked at the short, robust man with surprised azure eyes. The man was old, his hair a fine white color, and had a hunched back. He looked incredulously at Itazura, anger mixed into his confusion.

"What are you doing here, girl?" He questioned furiously, waving his arms in the air. "You've got to be out on that stage in . . ." He looked at the nonexistent watch on his wrist. "Now! You've got to be out there now or you'll forfeit the match!"

"Relax, Toza," Itazura waved his concerns off. She snatched her neatly laid out uniform and took off down the hall again. "I still got time!" She hurried down the hall, taking off her street clothes and putting her uniform on as she went. By the time she reached the door at the end of the hall, her clothes were a messy pile in her hands and her uniform, though disheveled, was on. She shoved the door open, not caring that it slammed into the wall. Immediately, the heat of Mako's glare registered on her face.

"Nice of you to show up," He said disapprovingly, golden eyes narrowed. His arms were crossed over his chest and his lips were set in a thin line. "You nearly made us forfeit!" He sighed, rubbing his brow. "How hard is it—,"

"Mako," Itazura cut him off. She threw her clothes in the locker on the left end and grabbed the helmet sitting on the shelf inside. She adjusted the blue belt around her waist and shoved the helmet over her head. "I'm not even going to ask, because I am _positive_ I've told you that you worry too much." She walked by him and Bolin and stood ready on the platform that would take them to the stage. The brothers stood on either side of her.

"Sorry," Mako whispered as the house lights went down and the spotlight centered on them. The announcer dramatically announced their team, the Fire Ferrets, as they were brought onto the stage, which stood high above a pit of water. The stands made an oval around the pit, stacked atop each other high enough to almost reach the ceiling. The stage itself was diamond shaped, with the ends flattened and the sides roped off with bungee cord. Divided into two halves—red and blue—each half was divided into three zones separated by troughs of water. "It's just . . . we're so close to the championship tournament I can taste it."

"The only we're going to taste now is some of Nasook's noodles after we win this match, okay?" Itazura said as the three stepped into the first zone. Bolin nodded excitedly and Mako's frown broke into a genuine smile. "Then, it's settled." She tapped her closed fist to her open palm with a confident grin.

The Fire Ferrets stood opposite their opponents, fist raised in anticipation. From what the blonde had heard, the other team was an equal match for the Ferrets. The referee gave the signal to begin, and it was as if hell broke loose on the stage. Wheels of flame, earthen disks, and whips of water shot across the line. Itazura's opponent kicked two volleys of fire towards her, and then punched another for added measure. With a smirk, the blonde bender easily avoided all three blows. Dragging her arms through the air, a trail of water erupted from the trough and slithered through the air around her. She threw one arm forward and flicked her wrist, sending a crescent of water at the Firebender. He avoided, but left himself open for another blow, which Itazura placed below his knees. The Firebender's feet left the ground as his legs were swept out from under him.

"Ita!" Bolin shouted from somewhere behind and beside her. Did Bolin get knocked back a zone? The blonde couldn't remember. "On your right!"

She ducked just as disk of water whizzed over her head. Itazura jumped to her feet and dealt two strikes: one to the still air-born Firebender and another that curved around the arena and smashed into the opposing Earthbender's helmet. The Firebender flew back a few yards and crashed onto the ground, rolling into Zone 2. The Earthbender toppled backwards, the force of Itazura's water strong enough to flip him into the second zone as well. From her peripheral vision, Itazura watched as Mako turned up the heat on the opposing Waterbender. The black-haired boy literally hammered the Waterbender with kicks and punches of fire. Itazura hurled a blast of water towards Mako's opponent, blindsiding the Waterbender and distracting him long enough to Mako to kick another flurry of fire. Unprepared for the one-two combo, the Earthbender rolled into zone 3 as the buzzer rang for the end of the round.

"Thanks for the help," Mako said, looking towards the ceiling as the rightmost of the large, glass cylinders illuminated red for the Fire Ferrets. "Nice headshot."

"Yeah, Ita!" Bolin said. "The way you tripped up that guy and then _BAM_, right back into Zone 2 with his buddy there!"

"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't told me about that headshot coming my way," Itazura smiled crookedly, throwing her arms around Mako and Bolin's shoulders. "I don't know about you guys, but I smell a knockout this round."

"I don't know," Mako said. "That Yomo's a good Waterbender. We're going to have to really put some pressure on him if we want to knock him out."

"Yeah, well I'm a _great_ Waterbender," Itazura pointed out. "So he won't be a problem."

"Let's go for it," Bolin said, extending his arm with his palm facedown. "Fire Ferrets?"

"Fire Ferrets!" Itazura and Mako repeated, placing their hands top Bolin's.

The three teammates turned and faced their opponents again. This time, Itazura was lined up with the Earthbender and Bolin was challenging the Firebender. Mako stood opposite Yomo, his face stony with concentration. The referee motioned for the match to begin and a trio of flying disks tore through the air towards Itazura. She leapt into the air, flipping backwards to avoid one disk and rotating her torso to dodge the other two. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she sent an upper cut of water into the Earthbender's face. Itazura jumped forward and, with her newfound momentum, punched a devastating blow of water to her opponent's chest. The Earthbender fell over and tumbled backwards through Zone 2 and into Zone 3. He landed on his feet and stood up only to be knocked into the Drink by a whip across the chest from Itazura.

Bolin relentlessly pummeled the Firebender with repeated strikes, pushing the opponent back into Zone 2. The earthbending brother spun another disk towards the Firebender. His target cart wheeled to the side, but Itazura followed up with a blow of water to the stomach. The Firebender crashed into Zone 3 and slipped over the edge into the Drink with his teammate. Mako dealt blow after blow to Yomo. With two quick punches, Yomo was swept back into Zone 3. Mako charged forward with Itazura and Bolin in tow. Yomo struggled to stand, his right foot slipping over the edge of the arena in fear as Itazura lifted a stream of water from the trough, Bolin spun an earthen disk into the air, and Mako fists burned brightly with crackling flames. It seemed the opposing Waterbender only had time to gulp his fear down his dry throat as all three Fire Ferrets unleashed their fury, easily sending him spinning through the air and into the water below.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers as Bolin ripped off his helmet and threw his arms open to the air. Pabu, appearing out of nowhere, scampered up the Earthbender's leg and onto his shoulder. The green-eyed brother lifted and hugged the small pet jubilantly while Mako removed his helmet to fix his hair. More than a few female spectators swooned, and Itazura was faintly sure she saw one faint. He smiled at Itazura, pride burning brightly in his flickering, golden eyes. The referee escorted them off of the arena and to their lockers where they changed out of their uniforms and into their street clothes. By the time they exited the Arena for their post-match walkabout, the Pro-Bending Arena and the streets of Republic City were quiet in the stillness of night.

"Are we still going out for noodles?" Bolin asked, licking his lips and patting his growling stomach as they began their trek. "I'm starving after all that work!"

"Bolin, you're hungry after walking down the stairs," Itazura rationalized with a sly smile. "But I'm sure it wouldn't—,"

"We can't," Mako said sternly. "We've got to get some rest and hit the gym early tomorrow morning for practice. Or did you already forget we have another match tomorrow?"

"I did not forget!" Itazura said in an offended tone. Her shocked expression soon turned in a sheepish grin. "Okay, well, maybe I did. But that's not the point." She threw her arms around Mako and Bolin's necks and pulled them in close. "The point is, we had a stellar victory tonight."

"Yes, we did," Mako said. "And if we want to have another one tomorrow, we need to keep our strength up."

"Hey, Mako," Itazura whispered childishly.

"What?" The Firebender asked irritably.

"Do you know what helps keep your strength up?"

"What?"

"Proper nutrition!" The blonde bender shouted, sweeping her arms towards Nasook's Noodles, which she had guided them towards while holding onto Mako and Bolin's necks. Itazura and Bolin exchanged excited glances as they rushed inside.

"This is hardly proper nutrition!" Mako called, standing firmly outside. The warm glow behind the beaded entryway and the smell of cooking noodles, however, wore away at his reserve. "Hey, wait for me!"

_Break_

The screams of the crowd did nothing to ease Mako's racing heart. Holding his helmet in his hand, the Firebender took a deep breath and slipped the protective gear of his head, fastening the straps in place as the door to the locker room swung open. He half expected/half hoped it would be Itazura, arriving on time for a match for once. He was disappointed to see it was only his brother with a girl on his arm. A girl, he noticed, was definitely from the Water Tribes. The golden-eyed brother rolled his eyes as his brother showed the girl the arena.

"My name's Bolin, by the way." The Earthbender introduced.

"Korra," The girl said, still marveling at the packed stands.

"Hey," Mako whispered. "Hey, Bolin."

"Yeah, bro?" Bolin asked, approaching his brother curiously.

"What did I tell you about bringing crazy fangirls in here before the matches?" Mako asked.

"I know, I know," Bolin held both his hands up. "But I've got a really good feeling about this one, Mako. She's—,"

He was interrupted by the door flying open. Itazura, completely dressed for the match, entered and threw the door closed. She ripped her locker open, moving erratically, and tossed her bag inside. She whirled around to a stunned Mako and Bolin, panting with both hands on her hips.

"Sorry," She said between breathes, her blue eyes flickering between the two. "I'm cutting it close again. My alarm clock went off late for some reason and I—,"

"You're not late," Mako said, astounded.

"I'm what?"

"You're not late," Bolin echoed his brother. "You're actually . . . on time."

"Well, that can't be right." Itazura turned on her heels and opened the door. "I'll be back in ten minutes."

"I can't believe it worked," Mako murmured.

"You can't believe what worked?" The blonde asked, closing the door.

"I set your alarm clock fifteen minutes early last night after I dragged you back to your apartment," Mako elaborated. "I didn't think it would work, but . . . here you are."

"Yes, here I am. And now I hate you forever."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bolin said. "Now, let's not fight! Save it for the ring, you two. Besides, we have a guest!" He threw an arm around both of his teammates and turned them to face Korra. She smiled and stuck out her hand. Behind her, the lights in the arena dimmed, and the crowds cheers grew louder.

"Come on, guys," Mako shouldered his way forward. "We're up."

"Or I could meet him later," Korra deflated, retracting her arm.

"You heard him Bolin," Itazura said nervously, turning her face away from Korra as she dragged the Earthbender by hid collar after Mako. "Let's go."

"What's your deal?" Bolin said harshly as Itazura released his collar. They stood beside Mako on a platform that began to slowly take them to the arena. "Actually, scratch that, what's both of your deals?"

"We've got a match to focus on," Mako said. "If we win this one and the next one, we'll be in the tournament. We can't afford to be—,"

"Typical Mako answer," Itazura smiled.

"So what's your excuse?" Bolin turned to Itazura as the platform stopped at the edge of Zone 3. Itazura's smile instantly fell and her blue eyes looked away for a moment.

"Uh, well," The blonde began. "I just . . . get really nervous when meeting new people before a match."

"What? You're lying!"

"Shh, they're introducing us." Itazura shushed him, effectively ending the conversation.

"Introducing!" The announcer called, a bright spotlight silhouetting the entire crowd and nearly blinding the three young benders. "The Fire Ferrets!"

A scream went up through the crowds. Itazura and Mako waved with small smiles, while Bolin grinned widely and took in the cheers. He seemed to enjoy the girls screaming his name the most. Itazura elbowed him jokingly in the side as the announcer continued to detail their season so far.

"But tonight, the Ferrets face their toughest match yet!"

The three teammates stood in a horizontal line in Zone 1, looking across to their opponents, the Golden Temple Tigerdillos. The noises of the crowd suddenly died, and the entire arena was enveloped in a tense silence. At the sound of a bell ringing, though, both teams jumped into action. Itazura dropped to her knees to avoid an arc of fire from the Tigerdillos' Firebender and pulled a long stream of water up from the grates on the ground. She threw the water in front of her just in time to block another attack, but the pure force knocked her back a few centimeters. Itazura fired another bullet of water towards the opposing Earthbender. He easily cartwheeled away and picked up an earth disc, firing it at Mako. Mako easily avoided it and a fire blast, countering with an arc of fire of his own. The Earthbender took the hit in the stomach, knoking him backwards. His teammates, however, charged forward and fired an earth disc and burst of flames. Itazura and Bolin, though they tried their best, could not move in time, and were knocked back into Zone 2.

"The Fire Ferrets are in some trouble!" Shiro called. "Can Mako hold it together?"

Mako, taking his eyes off his opponent for a just a moment to look at his teammates, was suddenly hit with a whip of water. He was able to throw up a block at the last moment, but it was not enough to prevent his foot from just sliding over the boundary of Zone 1. A buzzer sounded and he angrily retreated to Zone 2. The Tigerdillos, smirking at their progress, rushed into Fire Ferrets territory with bending at the ready. Itazura ducked beneath an earth disc and twirled away from a fire blast. She kicked up a shield of water to dissipate another earth disc, but was knocked back into Zone 3 regardless. Bolin, hit by a column of flame, joined her shortly. Mako was pushed back a combination of earthen discs and fire just as another bell rang. Up near the ceiling of the arena, the glass cylinder glowed blue for a Tigerdillo victory.

"Come on, guys," Mako said heatedly as they returned to Zone 1 for the second round. "Step it up! These guys are _not_ better than us."

Bolin and Itazura nodded and both took offensive stances. The second round bell clanged and all six benders furiously threw attacks. Itazura ducked under an earth disc and wove out of the way of a water blast. She picked up three bullets of water and sent them rocketing towards the three Tigerdillos. The Earth and Waterbender had their feet swept out from under them as Itazura's water connected directly, and only the Firebender had the sense to leap over the water. He fired two bullets of flame toward Itazura, who evaded one and brought up a guard of water to block the other just in time. Mako and Bolin, taking advantage of the opposing benders' disarray, fired a one-two combination of fire and earth towards the recovering benders and knocked them back into Zone 2. Suddenly, a bell rings and the scoreboard glows red for the Fire Ferrets. Bolin cheered loudly, jumping up in victory. Mako appeared more serious, while Itazura was dumbfounded.

"And the Fire Ferrets take control of Round 2! It's a tie going into Round 3, and from what we've seen during this match, it. Could. Go. Ei-ther. Waaaay!"

"Really?" She said. "The round's over already?"

"It's the final round," Mako said. "We have to win this one."

"Consider it done," Itazura smiled, pulling a column of water up from the grates.

The bell clanged for a third time and Itazura immediately found herself dodging water from the opposing Waterbender. She dealt a few attacks of her own, but had to drop her final blow in order to leap over an earth disc flying towards her. She landed and slipped on the arena floor, stumbling backwards and crashed into Bolin. Itazura quickly extracted herself from the mess and jumped to the side to avoid an earth disc, but realized too late Bolin was still disoriented from the collision. The Earthbender was struck full on with the earth disc, and rolled helplessly into the water below.

"Oh! And a mash-up on the Fire Ferrets side sends Bolin into the drink! It looks like it's two-on-three, now, folks! Oh, hold on!" The announcer corrected. Itazura charged up the field, two swirls of water trailing behind her. She hurled one towards the Tigerdillos' Firebender, almost blowing through the wall of flames he brought up to defend himself. Before he realized what was happening, Itazura slashed the second whip of water downwards and knocked his arms aside, leaving him completely defenseless and off-balance as she kicked a bullet of water directly into his helmet. The Firebender flew through the air and skipped across the entire field before flying into the drink. "And the Fire Ferrets come back with a watery vengeance to make it two-on-two!"

The remaining four continued to bend furiously, neither side wanting to relinquish any territory to the other, for it would mean certain defeat. Mako ducked under a water attack, and then rolled away from two fire blasts. As he tried to get back to his feet, a powerful blast of water struck him in chest, knocking him back a full zone. He saw a second arc of water racing towards him as well, and braced himself for the blow. Itazura, however, leapt in the way instead, flinging an arc of water towards the Tigerdillos' Waterbender as the attack meant for Mako hit her head on. The Tigerdillos' Waterbender dropped as Itazura's attack slammed him in the chest and rolled into the drink. Itazura fell flat on her back and somersaulted right over the edge of the field.

"Oh, and both Waterbenders are knocked out of the right!" The announcer stated. "And that makes it one-on-one! A furious clash of earth and fire!"

Bending the water around her, she rocketed towards the surface and launched out of the water. She landed feet first on the elevator and took it straight up. From the locker room, she watched with Korra and Bolin as Mako advanced on the Tigerdillos' Earthbender. Earth discs clashed with powerful punches and kicks of fire from Mako. Dust began to swirl around the field, eventually hiding the two from sight. Itazura closed her eyes and listened as hard as she could, hoping to somehow hear how Mako was doing. A bell clanged loudly, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin. She looked between the scoreboard and the clearing field, wondering which would reveal the winner to her first. The scoreboard was suddenly swept with red, signaling a Fire Ferret victory as the dust cleared to show Mako, helmet in his hands, gazing at the crowd.

"He did it!" Bolin cheered loudly. "I can't believe it! He actually did it!"

"What an upset!" The announcer screamed. "And Mako clinches it! Fire Ferrets win! Fire Ferrets win!"

"So what did you think?" Bolin asked Korra. "Bolin's got some moves, right?"

"What did I think?" Korra repeated quietly. Her arms shot out, grabbing Bolin by the front of his uniform and pulling him towards her. "What did I _think_!?" She said excitedly. "I think it was amazing!" She pushed him away and turned towards Mako, who was riding the platform back to the locker room.

"You guys were amazing out there!" Korra said. "Especially you, Mr. Firebender."

"Oh," Mako said distantly. "You're still here?"

"Oh, and you're still a jerk?" Korra fired back.

"Ooh," Itazura smirked. "She's got you there, Mako."

"I've been bending pretty much my entire life," Korra said, turning to Bolin. "And I've never seen _anything_ like that before! Could you teach me some things?"

"Sure!" Bolin said.

"No!" Itazura and Mako said at the same time.

"Hey!" Bolin pointed to Itazura. "I expected that from Mako, but you?"

"Well, I mean," Itazura said, her azure eyes looking everywhere but at Bolin. "She's clearly a Waterbender, and how would something an Earthbender taught be of any use?"

"I should beat you with your own helmet," Bolin said. "And I think I will!"

"Bolin, NO!"

But her rebuff came too late. Bolin ripped Itazura's helmet off of her blonde head. Before he had a chance to attack her, though, Korra gasped. She pointed at Itazura, opening her mouth to say something and then closing it again. A look of deep thought came over her face as she studied Itazura's face.

"Allow me to begin my explanation," Itazura said apologetically, pushing by Bolin and standing in front of Korra. "With the fact that I thought the chances of me ever seeing you again face-to-face was slim to none."

"But . . ." Korra began, looking at the field and then at Itazura. "But you're a Firebender."

"Yes and no." Itazura smiled sheepishly.

"Wait," Mako said. "You've two met before?"

"Yeah," Itazura sighed. "We got arrested together a couple days ago."

"Arrested?" Mako said incredulously. He turned to his brother, mouth gaping.

"Yes, arrested," Itazura said. "Guys, this is Avatar Korra."

"Ava-haha—," Bolin stammered.

"I'm an idiot," Mako breathed.

"Ita, why didn't you tell us you got arrested with the Avatar!?"

_Break_

"I know how this looks," Itazura said, her eyes looking at the clock anxiously. "But I swear I didn't do it this time!" She stood from her chair. "Let me see Chief Beifong!"

"The Chief's not here," The officer said with a smirk. "Looks like you'll finally be getting yours."

"Listen," Itazura sighed in frustration, running a hand through her hair. "I have Pro-Bending Match to get to. If we win this match, we'll be in the Tournament and I will serve my sentence then, but just let me—,"

"Maybe you don't understand the severity of what you've done," The officer said loudly, drowning out Itazura's voice. The blonde bender crossed her arms over her chest and plopped back into her seat with an unimpressed gaze focused on the table. "You _defaced_ City Hall! That is a serious—,"

"Which should be even more of an indication that it wasn't me!" Itazura nearly shouted, her head whipping to look at the officer. "I disturb the peace, officer. I don't steal, I don't extort, and I don't deface property!"

"The evidence against you is overwhelming."

"What evidence!?" Itazura laughed incredulously. The entire fiasco was just so ridiculous. From the moment she had been dragged out of her apartment earlier that morning to right now, it was completely ridiculous. "You have _NO_ evidence!"

"Unfortunately, due to the degree of the crime, we will have to wait for the Chief before we continue." He ignored her outburst and continued.

"Fine!" Itazura threw up her arms and stood up abruptly, knocking her chair over. "Fine! Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine! Can I at least get a message out to my friends?"

"No, you cannot."

"Of course," Itazura sighed, placing her forehead on the metal walls of the interrogation room.

_Break_

"Hey," Korra said, coming through the locker room door with a smile. She looked between a downcast Mako and Bolin and thought the worst. "Did I miss it? You guys look like you already lost!"

"We may as well have," Bolin said dejectedly, dropping his helmet onto the ground.

"What's happened?" Korra asked.

"Itazura's a no-show," Mako said angrily. "She's been late before, but never this late."

"Did you try—,"

"We waited an hour at practice this morning. Nothing. We went for lunch at our usual place. Nothing. We checked the entire arena," Mako listed. "Nothing. We had someone go check her apartment. It was a big freaking mess, but nothing. She is literally nowhere to be found, and during one of the biggest matches of the whole season!"

"Well, maybe you should have used that time to find a replacement," The referee said, checking his watch. "You've got three minutes to find a replacement or you're disqualified." He exited the locker room.

"Unbelievable," Mako gritted his teeth. "Of all the things Itazura—,"

"Ita wouldn't do this, Mako," Bolin said defensively. "You and I both know she wouldn't. She knows too well what it means. Something must have happened to her."

"Uh, hello," Korra said. "You guys need a Waterbender. I'm a top-notch Waterbender, if I do say so myself."

"But . . ." Bolin said. "You're the Avatar. Wouldn't that be cheating?"

"Not if I just Waterbend."

"No way," Mako said. "Absolutely not. I'd rather forfeit than look like a fool out there."

"Times up," The referee said as he opened the door and popped his head inside. He glanced at all three benders before settling on Mako. "Are you in or out?"

_Break_

Itazura sat lazily in her chair, tapping her right index finger against the metal table in time with the passing seconds. She couldn't tell what time it was, but she knew it was far past the time the match was supposed to begin at. She hoped Mako and Bolin had been able to find some kind of a replacement. The officer sitting across from her seemed wholly unimpressed with her demeanor. He sat with his hands folded on the table, a disgusting smirk on his face.

"Where is Chief Beifong, exactly?" The blonde asked curiously.

"Out on an important mission," The officer said vaguely.

"You're just a cornucopia of information, aren't you, officer?" Itazura shook her head. "You must be new here or something. I've never seen you before."

"Or maybe you don't know this place nearly as well as you believe you do," The officer countered.

She opened her mouth to retort when a small panel of metal slid open. Light filtered through the bars, casting vertical shadows onto the floor. The officer sitting at the table seemed to jump in surprise and tossed a furious look at the officer outside the window. Itazura jumped at the sight of a familiar face.

"Chie—," The second officer began, but stopped when he took a better look inside the room. "Wait, isn't that Itazura? Why are you even here? Where's Chief Beifong?"

"You idiot," The officer inside the interrogation room said. "I told you the Chief gave me control of this case!"

The officer outside hesitated, a conflicted and thoughtful expression coming over his face. His dark eyes flickered over to Itazura for just a moment before her blinked and shook his head in realization. "Of course," He said. "How could I have forgotten? Sorry about that." The window slid shut again and Itazura looked at the officer across from her.

"Chief Beifong doesn't even know I'm here, does she?" She asked simply.

"As I told my co-worker," The officer began. "The Chief—,"

"Stop," Itazura stood and slammed her hands onto the metal table. The metal table top began to slowly turn red and thin trails of smoke rose from the spaces between the Firebender's fingers. "Lying to me. This was one of the most important matches to my friend, and because of you, I missed it."

"I'd be careful if I were you, little Firebender," The Officer rose to his full height—almost a full taller than Itazura. "Remember that you're trapped inside a metal box, and Metalbending is one of the specialties of the Republic City Police Force."

"Just tell me who made you do this," Itazura said. "Was it the Platypus Bears? Who was it?"

"Certain interested parties." The officer growled. Itazura's azure eyes narrowed, full on glaring at the taller man. The door behind them swung open, and Lin marched inside. Her green eyes went first to Itazura and then the officer standing across from her.

"Itazura," The Chief said. "That's enough. Before you melt the table, take your hands off of it and calm down."

"Lin," Itazura said angrily. "You don't understand! This guy—,"

"I know," Lin said gently. "You missed your match."

"You . . . what?" Itazura began, but immediately stopped. "You know?"

"Later," Lin said. She turned her hard gaze on the officer and sent her metal coils wrapping around his hands and legs. "City Hall was never defaced. You're under arrest for impersonating an officer of the law and assaulting a police officer!"

"I knew he didn't work here," Itazura said. "But assaulting an officer?"

"Where do you think he got the uniform?" Lin explained. "But you shouldn't worry about that now. According to the radio, your team was able to find a replacement Waterbender. The match is still going on right now."

"Really?" The blonde bender's eyes lit up. "Thanks, Lin!" Itazura rushed past her and towards the door, stopping in the doorway. "And I knew you listened to my matches on the radio."

_Break_

Bursting through the door, Itazura ran up to the railed edge of the locker room and gripped the railing with a white-knuckled grip. She arrived just in time to see Korra backflip under a flying earth coin and water blast. The Avatar pulled her hands up in front of her face to block a fire blast. Across the field, Itazura could see the Platypus Bears lining up for another barrage.

"Korra!" Itazura called. "Watch out!"

The call came too late, however. A blast of fire caught Korra in the side, and an earth disc slammed full force into her stomach. The Avatar rocked back on her heels, dangerously off balance as a water whip hit her in the helmet. She fell over backwards, and bounced across the entire field before finally falling into the drink. _Maybe_, Itazura thought, as she raced out of the locker room and threw open the door immediately to the left. _For the better._ She raced down the stairs behind the door and came out on a cement platform far below the field. Looking at the surface, Itazura finally saw Korra break the surface, catching her breath.

"Korra!" Itazura waved her over. The blonde knelt down at the edge of the platform.

"There you are," Korra said. "You're really late."

"I'll explain later," The Firebender said with a crooked smile. "What are you doing?"

"They needed a Waterbender to fill your place," Korra shrugged. "And I'm a Waterbender."

"You're also a Fire and Earthbender," Itazura said. "You're kind of, you know, the Avatar."

"You're not exactly _just_ a Waterbender either."

"Korra!" A tense, angry voice behind them both said. Itazura turned and Korra shifted to see Tenzin, his orange and yellow air nomad robes flowing around him.

"Oh," Korra said sheepishly. "Hey, Tenzin. I thought you didn't come to these things."

"Here," Itazura said, bending down and offering Korra her hand.

"You flagrantly disobeyed my orders!" Tenzin continued as Itazura pulled Korra out of the water. "You were to stay on the island!"

"With all due respect, Councilman," Itazura bowed politely, a pained expression on her face. "This is all my fault. I was late to the match and Korra was just stepping in. This match is really important to my friends, and I couldn't be here to help them win it."

"Regardless of her reason for doing this," Tenzin said. "She needs to return to Air Temple island. _Now._"

"Why?" Korra asked. "So I can meditate on how bad I am at Airbending? I'm beginning to think there's a reason I haven't been able to learn it. Maybe, I don't even need it!"

"That's ludicrous!" Tenzin countered, pointing at Korra. "The Avatar needs to learn Airbending. It isn't optional!"

"No, Tenzin. I need to learn this," Korra gestured to the field standing high above their heads. "Modern styles of fighting!"

"When will you learn being the Avatar isn't all about fighting?" Tenzin whispered furiously.

"If you'll excuse me," Korra said, turning and marching to the elevator. "I have a match to finish."

She boarded the red machine and traveled up to field level. Tenzin stood on the platform for a few seconds, fuming in silence, before sweeping his cloak aside and marching back up the stairs. Itazura, feeling only slightly like an awkward third wheel climbed the stairs a few moments later, making sure she wouldn't meet Tenzin along the way. As she arrived back in the locker room, the Platypus Bears were announced the winners of Round 2. Itazura's face darkened.

_Now they need a knock out to win_, Itazura thought. _Come on, guys. I know you can pull it out._

The bell clanged for the beginning of Round 3. Immediately, the Platypus Bears began their assault on Bolin and Mako. A barrage of earth discs and water whips pushed them back to back into the corner of Zone 1, never letting up for a second. The Waterbender continued to relentlessly attack Mako and Bolin while the Earth and Firebender turned their full attention, and fury, to Korra. She was easily pushed back into Zone 2, and then Zone 3, while Mako and Bolin were helpless to do anything about it. Teetering over the edge, Itazura watched with complete horror as Korra just barely evaded two more attacks. Then, the Avatar's entire demeanor changed.

Her stance became solid and focused, and her steps were quick and sure. The Platypus Bear's attacks whizzed harmlessly by her numerous times. Slowly, the opponent's attacks came more slowly and lacked the power they used to have. The Fire Ferrets, seeing their opportunity arise, leapt into the offensive. It only took a few, powerful combos from all three to send the entire Platypus Bears team into the drink. The bell clanged excitedly, and Itazura looked up to see the scoreboard swept with red lights.

"KNOCKOUT!" The announcer called. "The Fire Ferrets come from way behind to steal the win! The rookie bending brothers, the Avatar in tow, have nabbed a spot in the championship tournament!"

"Korra, I don't know what to say," Mako said as the platform brought them back to the locker room. He pulled the helmet off his head and held it in his hands. "You really came alive in that last round. The way you dodged those attacks, you—," He stopped when he noticed Itazura. "And where _exactly_ have you been?" His words turned venomous.

"Lin will explain everything to you," Itazura said.

"_Lin_?" Mako asked incredulously, stepping closer than necessary to Itazura. "You decided to pull one of your pranks _today_? The day of probably one of the biggest matches of our whole career?"

"I didn't pull anything, Mako!" Itazura said, shoving him back a couple of steps. "Don't you think I know how important this is to you and Bolin?" Mako's anger turned to regret as he looked away.

"Yeah, Mako," Bolin added. "Ita's pulled some stuff at pretty inconvenient times, but she wouldn't have now. What did he take you in for?"

"Well, as they were hauling me out of my apartment, they said it was for defacing City Hall." Itazura shook her head.

"But there was nothing wrong with City Hall." Korra said.

"Yeah, I know that now," Itazura rolled her azure eyes. "Thanks for stepping in for me. This match was really important to Mako and Bolin," The blonde smiled crookedly. "I'd hate to see them lose it just because of me."

"Well, I'm not quite as good as you."

"Nonsense," Itazura waved her hand at Korra. "It really came together that last round. Those moves out there—when you were out in Zone 3—were something else entirely."

"Those were actually some Airbending moves," Korra said. "I've never been able to do them very well before, but the pressure of the match along with some of the things Bolin taught me just made it all . . ." She smiled fondly. "Click."

"Well, that click was astounding," Itazura leaned against the wall. "In fact, maybe you should take the position full time."

"What?!" Korra's eyes lit up, but quickly diminished. "No, no. I couldn't. You're—,"

"An easy target," Itazura shrugged. "It's just the way I am. These guys need somebody who can be there. Besides, you're the Avatar, right? You need to learn Airbending. If this helps you learn, then we can call it me doing my part for the good of the world."

"No," Mako said. "We agreed. You, Bolin, and I agreed we were going to do this together."

"I could be a replacement," Itazura said. "Just until Lin and I can find out who wants me out of the tournament so bad they were willing to hold me in Police Headquarters."

"You really mean it?" Korra asked wistfully.

"Of course I do," The blonde smiled. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

"Thank you!" Korra exploded, wrapping Itazura in a bone crushing hug that knocked the wind out of the blonde bender. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Okay," Itazura said, carefully prying Korra off of her. "I like my spine the way it's oriented now, thanks."

"I just," Korra breathed excitedly. "I can't believe you're actually giving me your spot! This is so exciting!"

"Provided that it's okay with your friend from Air Temple Island."

"My friend . . ?" Korra was confused. "Oh, you mean Tenzin." She suddenly gasped loudly. "TENZIN! I completely forgot!" She quickly tore off the Pro-Bending uniform to reveal her Water Tribe outfit underneath, handed the helmet to Itazura, and raced out the door. "I gotta go, guys! See you later!"

"She sure is something else," Itazura said, looking at Mako and Bolin. "Huh, guys?"

"She's definitely a character," Bolin smiled.

"Yeah," Mako said quietly. "Something else entirely."

**Author's Note:**

**So, like I said, oh so sorry about the wait. In the process of editing Chapter 3 now.**


End file.
